Lock Weaving Tool

ABSTRACT

A hair lock weaving tool comprises a body having a first end and a second end. A curved hook portion is formed at the first end and a hair receiving portion is formed at the second end that includes a hole for receiving hair. The curved hook portion has a variable width and a variable thickness, wherein the width progressively increases from an interface between the curved hook portion and the hair receiving portion to an intermediate point and then the width progressively decreases in a direction toward and to a pointed end of the curved hook portion that defines the first end of the body. The hair receiving portion has a bilobate configuration with a first lobe that defines one end of the hole and a second lobe that defines an opposite end of the hole, with a narrowed waist defined between the first lobe and the second lobe.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application is based on and claims priority to U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application 62/556,089, filed Sep. 8, 2017, the entire contentsof which is incorporated by reference herein as if expressly set forthin its respective entirety herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a tool for use in treating hair andmore particularly, relates to a lock weaving tool that is used during ahair weaving process.

BACKGROUND

There are many types of hair products on the market that suit a widerange of needs. As is well known, hair weaving is a process by which thehair is manipulated to change the appearance of the hair and inparticular and according to one technique, a tool can be used to createstylable locks that are formed using an interlocking method. Theinterlocking process involves use of the tool to create the locks. Thelocks can be made from the ends to the roots.

Hair weaving and the formation of locks are quite versatile inapplication and can be used on different hair styles (e.g., short orlong hair), etc.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, a hair lock weaving tool comprises a body having afirst end and a second end. A curved hook portion is formed at the firstend and a hair receiving portion is formed at the second end thatincludes a hole for receiving hair. The curved hook portion has avariable width and a variable thickness, wherein the width progressivelyincreases from an interface between the curved hook portion and the hairreceiving portion to an intermediate point and then the widthprogressively decreases in a direction toward and to a pointed end ofthe curved hook portion that defines the first end of the body.

The hair receiving portion has a bilobate configuration with a firstlobe that defines one end of the hole and a second lobe that defines anopposite end of the hole, with a narrowed waist defined between thefirst lobe and the second lobe. Both a size and shape of the first lobeare different relative to a size and shape of the second lobe.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a bottom and side perspective view of a lock weaving tool inaccordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a left side elevation view of the tool;

FIG. 3 is a right side elevation view of the tool;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the tool;

FIG. 5 is a rear elevation view of the tool;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the tool; and

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the tool.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

The present invention relates to a tool 100 that is configured for usein a hair weaving process and therefore, the tool 100 can be thought ofas being a hair locking tool or lock weaving tool. As discussed herein,the terminology “retighten” means weaving the new growth of hair back tothe scalp. FIGS. 1-7 illustrate the tool 100.

The tool 100 includes a curved hook portion 110 and a hair receivingportion 200. As shown, the curved hook portion 110 and the hairreceiving portion 200 can be integral to one another in that the tool100 is a single structure. The tool 100 can be formed using any numberof different techniques and material. For example, the tool 100 can beformed of a metal or a plastic material.

The curved hook portion 110 defines a first end 102 of the tool 100 andas shown in FIGS. 1-7, the curved hook portion 110 has a taperedconstruction in at least several directions. More particularly, as shownin the front and rear views of FIGS. 4 and 5, the thickness of thecurved hook portion 110 is variable and in particular, the thicknessdecreases in a direction toward the first end 102 which is a pointedend. In other words, the greatest thickness is at the interface betweenthe curved hook portion 110 and the hair receiving portion 200. In oneembodiment, the thickness changes in a progressive manner in a directiontoward the first end 102.

As shown, the pointed end 102 can be slightly rounded since this is thesection of the tool 100 that contacts the scalp of a person andtherefore, should not be sharp to the touch.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the width (W) of the curved hook portion 110is variable and in particular, the width increases from an interface,generally shown at 106, with the hair receiving portion 200 and in adirection toward the first end 102 to an intermediate point which isgenerally shown at 105. The width of the curved hook portion 110 thendecreases from the intermediate point 105 to the first end 102. Thewidth profile of the curved hook portion 110 thus resembles a footballshape in that the ends of the curved hook portion 110 have reduced widthcompared to the center portion (intermediate point 105). However, unlikea symmetric football, the curved hook portion 110 can be asymmetric inthat the width at the first end 102 is less than the width at theinterface between the curved hook portion 110 and the hair receivingportion 200. It will also be appreciated from the figures that athickness (T) of the curved hook portion 110 is also variable in thatthe curved hook portion 110 can be thicker at the interface with thehook receiving portion and has minimum thickness at the free pointed end(first end 102) of the hook receiving portion 110. As described herein,the thickness (T) is measured from the rear face to the front face ofthe tool 100, while, the width (W) is measured from the left side to theright side of the tool 100.

The hair receiving portion 200 defines an opening 210 which can have anelongated shape and extends from the interface between the curved hookportion 110 and the hair receiving portion 200 to a second end 104 ofthe tool 100 which is opposite the first end 102.

The hair receiving portion 200 can have a bilobate shape in that itgenerally defines a first lobe 220 and a second lobe 230 which are incommunication with one another. A waist 225 is formed between the firstlobe 220 and the second lobe 230. The shapes and sizes of the two lobes220, 230 can be different from one another as shown in the figures. Inparticular, the first lobe 220 at the second end 104 has a smallerfootprint than the second lobe 230 (i.e., the first lobe 220 has asmaller width). The two lobes 220, 230 can thus have different shapesand/or sizes.

The two inner end surfaces of the opening 210 can be curved as shown. Asmentioned herein, the deficiencies with prior interlocking hair toolswere that during retightening or interlocking hair, the tools wereconstructed such that they are placed too close to the scalp and thisputs too much pressure on the hair follicles. In addition, the toolswere difficult to handle because of their design and they caused toomuch rotation of the wrist. In addition, these traditional constructionsdid not address the loose hair around the base of the lock. As will bereadily understood, when new hair grows, the hair adjacent to the scalpis loose and not part of the lock that was previously formed. Thisnatural new growth at the scalp necessitates that the hair beretightened or interlocked.

In accordance with the present invention, the tool 100 is configuredsuch that it does not go too close to the scalp. The angle of curvatureof the curved hook portion 110 allows a user to retighten faster withouta lot of rotating. In addition, the tool 100 pulls into a lock the loosehair at the base, thereby lessening the need for scissors. Theconstruction of the tool 100 also makes it easy to handle which allowsthe user to even retighten their own hair with ease.

The use of the tool 100 is as follows. The woven hair is insertedthrough the opening 210 of the hair receiving portion 200. The wovenhair can be inserted first into the wider second lobe 230 and can beheld there for larger bundles of woven hair and in the case of a smallerbundle of woven hair, the woven hair can be moved to the narrower firstlobe 220. The narrower first lobe 220 is configured to better hold thesmaller bundle of hair. After the woven hair is held within the opening210, the curved hook portion 110 is then directed to the non-woven hairportion (new growth of the weave) near the scalp and the thinner distaltip of the curved hook portion 110 is used to accurately part thisnon-woven hair portion and the larger width portion of the curved hookportion 110 (spaced from the distal tip) is used to separate curls ofthe hair. With the woven hair within the opening 210, the tool 100 isthen moved in a direction to the woven hair portion at which location,the tool 100 is pulled away from the hair bundle (with the woven hairstill passing through the opening 210), thereby weaving a portion of thenon-woven hair portion through which the curved hook portion 110 waspassed previously through. This weaving process is then repeated.

What is claimed is:
 1. A hair lock weaving tool comprising: a bodyhaving a first end and a second end, wherein a curved hook portion isformed at the first end and a hair receiving portion is formed at thesecond end that includes a hole for receiving hair; the curved hookportion having a variable width and a variable thickness, wherein thewidth progressively increases from an interface between the curved hookportion and the hair receiving portion to an intermediate point and thenthe width progressively decreases in a direction toward and to a pointedend of the curved hook portion that defines the first end of the body;and wherein the hair receiving portion has a bilobate configuration witha first lobe that defines one end of the hole and a second lobe thatdefines an opposite end of the hole, with a narrowed waist definedbetween the first lobe and the second lobe, wherein both a size andshape of the first lobe are different relative to a size and shape ofthe second lobe.
 2. The tool of claim 1, wherein the first lobe has asmaller footprint relative to the second lobe.
 3. The tool of claim 1,wherein the first lobe has a curved inner surface that defines the oneend of the hole and the second lobe has a curved inner surface thatdefines the other end of the hole.
 4. The tool of claim 1, wherein thepointed end comprises a section of the curved hook portion that has botha minimum thickness and a minimum width of the curved hook portion. 5.The tool of claim 1, wherein the body is formed of metal.